Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1887-10-29

had moved away from Plymouth
after her husbands death. She was
there chiefly to put some stitches into
the widows wardrobe, which nobody
else would do so reasonably" that
lady's grief having incapacitated her
for holding a needle or giving her
mind to material details of "seam
and gusset and band" But during
the visit Miss Becky had been seized
with her sharpest attack Of rheuma-
tism, which had kept her in bed for
weeks, till her wages were exhausted
by drugs and DOCTORS fees. 1t was at
this time that she made up her mind
to 60 into the home on her return to
Plymouth.
Mrs. Dwight saw her off at the sta
ton. ~ hope you'll find the home
cosy" she said outside the car win
dow. "It's lucky Parson Amory left
you that hundred dollars after all.
He might have doubled it,"
eyes, 1 suppose So" Miss Becky
answered meekly. Perhaps she was
thinking that if she were Mrs.
Dwight no old friend of hers should
go begging for a refuge at an aims
house. Perhaps she was thinking of
the pretty, comfortable home waiting
for her friend, and wondering why
their fortunes were so unlike.
"Write when you reach Plymouth
and let me know how you're suited"
said Mrs. Dwight, and just then the
cars gave a lurch and left her behind,
and Miss Becky turned her glance in
ward. Somebody had taken the seat
beside her.
"Your friend was speaking of Par
son Amory and Plymouth" he said.
II couldn't help hearing. Twas born
in Plymouth myself, but 1 haven't
met a soul from there these twenty
years. Pm on my way to look W
my old friends"
"Twenty years is a long time,'
answered Becky. "I'm afraid you
won't find many Of your friends left
You'll hardly know Plymouth"
81 suppose not-I suppose not
Have you lived there longs"
81? 1 have lived there all my
days."
"Good; Pm hungry for news o
the people. Tell me everything you
can think of. Did Parson AmorN
leave a fortune? He was called close
Where's Miss Nell, married or dead
I can see the old place in my mind
eye, and the parsonage under tn
elms, and the orchard behind i
| where Lucy Amory planted a youn!
tree on her wedding day, and tn
| gown little Becky Thorne wore. B,
the way, is she alive? Do you know
= herr"
Miss Becky hesitated an instant.
eyes," she replied. "Iknow her
. more or less. She's alive"
"And married
"Well, 10, she never married"
4 "She must be sixty odd she was
l pretty creature, such-I suppose the.
are wrinkles now! Where have tn
I years gone? Is her home in the oil
8 place still ?"
"Her homew said Miss Becky
s flushing a little. ''She has none; sh
is on her way to the Old Ladies
e Home"
"'TO the Old Ladies' Home! Beck,
o Thorne!" he gasped. "And L
It "You seem to have known he
d pretty well % said Becky, who wa
n beginning to enjoy the incognito.
e 81 should think so. I've love
n Becky Thorne from my cradle; W
: had silly quarrel which parted us
e such a trife, when | look back. d
d you ever look back, madam 2"
e The twilight was falling abou
e them Becky's face had grown
shade or two paler all at once; sh
d turned her dark, velvety eyes full uI
on him with a startled air.
"You?" she said. "You must b
d Larry Rogers!" Then the colo
d swept toher cheek in a crimson wave
"Do you know l never thought 20
n had grown old like myself! Don
you know me? lam Becky Thorne.
Just then the train thundere
through the tunnel and they forge
o that they were ''siXty odd"
a son the way to the Old Ladies
o Home" she wrote Mrs. Dwight, "
e was persuaded to go to an old gentle
mans instead"
The Wrecks of Public Life.